Kokum

Kokum is the dried rind of the purple-fleshed fruit from the kokum tree, which is native to India, where it is used in the Gujarat, Maharashtra and Kerala regions on the west coast. Kokum is used as a flavouring for food and drinks — often in coconut-based sauces, with fish and in vegetable curries bound with a gram-flour (chickpea) sauce — and imparts a pinkish colouring to the food with which it is cooked. It is particularly known in the coconut curries of Kerala, where it is combined with potato, okra and lentils. Kokum is sour and acts as a cooling agent for the body. It needs to be rinsed, sliced and soaked in cold water before use. Available: Indian food stores.